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From its introduction in February 2007 through February 2013, Tumblr has hosted 96 million blogs and 44.3 billion individual posts. This social media site enables you to share links, music, photos, quotes, texts and videos in a customizable, blog-like format. For businesses, Tumblr -- which features Facebook connectivity and content that shows up in search engine queries -- helps boost your online presence and brand awareness. Tumblr is free to use, but it does offer optional paid services.

Requirements and Free Features

To register for Tumblr and start using the site, all you need is a valid email address, a password and a username. Site registration gives you access to the basic features of Tumblr at no charge. These features include a primary blog -- which also allows you to follow, like and interact with other Tumblr users -- and an unlimited number of secondary blogs. You can add multiple users and password protect secondary blogs, but you cannot use them to follow other posts or interact with other blogs.

Premium Themes

Each Tumblr blog you create for your business has a theme, which includes customizable elements from basic color options to writable HTML code. While Tumblr offers a selection of free theme templates, it also has premium themes, customizable templates available in styles ranging from minimalist designs to wood grain patterns to bold art deco décor. As of March 2013, Tumblr sells premium themes -- created by Tumblr users and Web designers alike -- for prices ranging from $9 to $49 each.

Custom Domains

As a free user, the default URL of your Tumblr blog includes your username and the word “tumblr.” For instance, a typical Tumblr Web address looks something like “mysmallbusiness.tumblr.com.” However, you can create a custom Tumblr domain name if you buy a domain from a third-party registrar -- Tumblr recommends companies such as iWantMyName, Namecheap, pairNIC and Register -- and configure your Tumblr page to use your purchased domain name, an option found under the “Settings” menu. Tumblr does not control the costs of domain names; rather, the registrar does. Domain name costs vary widely based on demand.

More Monetization

In June 2012, Tumblr offered a feature that enabled users to pin content to the top of all of their followers' dashboards for 24 hours for a $5 fee. Likewise, business-oriented users could pay $2 to allow visitors to select blog text that they found particularly attention-grabbing. In early February of 2013, however, Tumblr discontinued these features due to user backlash. The social media company may add -- or take away -- pay-to-use features in the future as it continues to evolve.

About the Author

Dan Ketchum has been a professional writer since 2003, with work appearing online and offline in Word Riot, Bazooka Magazine, Anemone Sidecar, Trails and more. Dan's diverse professional background spans from costume design and screenwriting to mixology, manual labor and video game industry publicity.